Digital broadcasting transmission/reception system having improved receiving performance and signal processing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A digital broadcasting transmission/reception system having improved receiving performance and signal processing method thereof. A digital broadcasting transmitter according to the present invention includes a data pre-processor which processed robust data and generates robust data packet of predetermined format, a TS stream generator which combines robust data packet with a normal data packet to generate a TS stream of a predetermined format, a randomizer which randomizes the TS stream output from the TS stream generator, a convolution encoder which performs convolution encoding with respect to the robust data of the data output from the randomizer, and a RS encoder which performs RS encoding with respect to the data output from the convolution g encoder. Accordingly, digital broadcasting receiving performance can be improved in a poor multipath channel, while maintaining compatibility with existing transmission/reception system.

This application is a continuation of prior application Ser. No.11/632,134, filed Jan. 11, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,844,012 in the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office, which claims priority from Korean PatentApplication No. 2004-55192, filed on Jul. 15, 2004 in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office, and International applicationPCT/KR05/02272, filed on Jul. 15, 2005, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a digital broadcastingtransmission/reception system, and more specifically, to a digitalbroadcasting transmission/reception system to reinforce a receptionperformance of a robust stream in a poor channel environment so that areception performance of a normal stream can be improved together, and asignal processing method thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

The Advanced Television Systems Committee Vestigial Sideband (ATSC VSB)method, a U.S-oriented terrestrial waves digital broadcasting system, isa single carrier method and uses a field sync by 312 segment unit.Accordingly, reception performance is not good in poor channels,especially in a Doppler fading channel.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a transmitter/receiver of a generalU.S-oriented terrestrial waves digital broadcasting system according tothe ATSC digital television (DTV) standards. The digital broadcastingtransmitter of FIG. 1 has a randomizer (110) for randomizing an MPEG-2TS, an Reed-Solomon (RS) encoder (120) of a concatenated coder form forcorrecting errors generated by channels, an interleaver (130)(B=52,M=4), and a ⅔ rate trellis encoder (140). The encoded data are mapped in8 level symbol and are inserted with field syncs and segment syncs asshown in FIG. 2. After that, the data are inserted with pilots,VSB-modulated, unconverted into RF and transmitted.

Meanwhile, the digital broadcasting receiver of FIG. 1 lowers the RPsignal to baseband, demodulates and equalizes the lowered signal,performs channel decoding, and restores the original signal in a reverseorder of the digital broadcasting transmitter. FIG. 2 shows a vestigialsideband (VSB) data frame of the U.S-oriented DTV system. In FIG. 2, oneframe consists of two fields and one field has 312 data segments andfield sync segment. One segment has segment syncs of four symbols anddata symbols of 828 symbols.

As shown in FIG. 1, the digital broadcasting transmitter randomizes theMPEG-2 TS through the randomizer (110). The randomized data areouter-coded through the RS encoder (120) which is an outer coder, andthe outer-coded data are dispersed through the interleaver (130). Theinterleaved data are inner-coded by 12 symbol unit through the trellisencoder (140), and the inner-coded data are mapped in a 8 level symboland inserted with the field syncs and segment syncs as shown in FIG. 2.Afterwards, the data have DC offset to generate the pilot, and areVSB-modulated, upconverted to a RF signal and transmitted.

Meanwhile, the digital broadcasting receiver of FIG. 1 converts an RFsignal received through a channel into a baseband signal through atuner/IF (not shown). The baseband signal is syncronization-detected anddemodulated through a demodulator (210), and distortion by channelmultipath is compensated through an equalizer (220). The equalizedsignal is error-corrected and decoded into symbol data through a trellisdecoder (230). The decoded data, which have been dipersed by theinterleaver (130) of the transmitter, are rearranged through adeinterleaver (240), and the deinterleaved data are error-correctedthrough an RS decoder (250). The error-corrected data are derandomizedthrough a derandomizer (260) and output into an MPEG-2 TS.

In the VSB data frame of the U.S-oriented terrestrial waves DTV systemof FIG. 2, one segment corresponds to one MPEG-2 packet. In FIG. 2, oneframe consists of two fields and one field has 312 data segments andfield sync segment. One segment has segment syncs of four symbols anddata symbols of 828 symbols. The segment sync and field sync which aresync signals used for synchronization and equalization. The field syncand segment sync are known sequences and used as training data in theequalizer.

The VSB method of the U.S-oriented terrestrial waves digital televisionsystem of FIG. 1 is a single carrier system and there is a shortcomingthat because error-correcting capacity of the trellis encoder of FIG. 3is not so strong, energy of a large output is needed to improve areception performance in a poor channel environment.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a digital broadcastingtransmission/reception system to improve a reception performance bycombining a normal stream of the existing transmission type in aU.S-oriented terrestrial waves digital television (DTV) system of theVSB method with a robust stream of an improved reception performance ina poor channel environment, and a signal processing method thereof.

Technical Solution

A digital broadcasting transmitter according to the present inventionmay include a robust data pre-processor for processing robust data andgenerating a robust data packet of a certain format, a TS streamgenerator for combining the robust data packet and a normal data packet,and generating a TS stream of a certain format, a randomizer forrandomizing the TS stream output from the TS stream generator, aconvolutional encoder for performing convolutional encoding of therobust data of the data output from the randomizer, and an interleaverfor interleaving the data output from the convolutional encoder.

Preferably, the transmitter may further include an RS encoder forperforming RS encoding of the robust data output from the interleaverand normal data of the data output from the randomizer.

More preferably, the transmitter may further include a convolutionalinterleaver for interleaving the data output from the RS encoder.

Further, the transmitter may further include a trellis encoder forperforming trellis encoding of the interleaved data by the convolutionalinterleaver after RS encoding.

Preferably, the convolutional encoder may perform convolutional encodingof the robust data in a certain method in order to improve coding gainwhen applied together with the tellis encoder.

Additionally, the interleaver may perform convolutional encoding of therobust data in a certain method in order to improve coding gain whenboth the convolutional encoder and the tellis encoder are appliedtogether.

Further, the convolutional encoder may generate a certain parity for therobust data, and output the robust data and the parity.

Further, the convolutional encoder may puncture the parity in ½ rate.

Meanwhile, the convolutional encoder may skip the puncturing of theparity in ½ rate, and output the robust data and the parity as they are.

In addition, the trellis encoder may perform trellis encoding and outputa mapping value of 4 level if the punctured parity is input.

Meanwhile, a signal processing method for a digital broadcastingtransmitter according to the present invention may include generating arobust data packet of a certain format by processing robust data,combining the generated robust data packet and a normal data packet andgenerating a TS stream of a certain format, randomizing the TS stream,performing convolutional encoding of the robust data of the randomizeddata, and interleaving the convolutional-encoded data.

Meanwhile, a digital broadcasting receiver according to the presentinvention may includes a demodulator for receiving and demodulating aencoded signal inserted with robust data at a certain location, a robustlocation generator for detecting the location of the robust data fromthe demodulated signal, an equalizer for equalizing the demodulatedsignal, a turbo decoder for decoding the robust data of the signaloutput from the equalizer using the detected location of the robustdata, a derandomizer for derandomizing the robust data output from theturbo decoder, and a robust data processor for processing andrestructuring the robust data output from the derandomizer.

The turbo decoder may include a trellis decoder for trellis-decoding therobust data, and a convolutional decoder for convolutional-decoding thetrellis-decoded robust data.

The trellis decoder and the convolutional decoder may exchange decodingreliability information each other upon decoding.

Additionally, the turbo decoder may further include an interleaver and adeinterleaver which connect the trellis decoder and the convolutionaldecoder respectively, and the reliability information may exchange eachother through one path from the deinterleaver to the convolutionaldecoder and the other path from the interleaver to the trellis decoder.

Meanwhile, a signal processing method for a digital broadcastingreceiver according to the present invention may include receiving anddemodulating a encoded signal inserted with robust data at a certainlocation, detecting the location of the robust data from the demodulatedsignal, equalizing the demodulated signal, decoding the robust data ofthe equalized signal using the detected location of the robust data,derandomizing the decoded robust data, and processing and restructuringthe derandomized robust data.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present invention, to improve a reception performanceof the ATSC VSB method of a U.S-oriented terrestrial waves DTV system, arobust stream and a normal stream combine to generate an MPEG-2 packet,the MPEG-2 packet are encoded and transmitted, and a receiver detectsthe location of the robust stream and decodes the stream throughinformation exchange using two extra decoders so that a receptionperformance of the robust stream can improve.

Therefore, the compatibility with the existing system is maintained andthe reception performance in a poor channel environment improves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram to show a general digital broadcasting (ATSCVSB) transmission/reception system,

FIG. 2 is a view to show a frame structure of ATSC VSB data,

FIG. 3 is a view to show a structure of a trellis encoder,

FIG. 4 is a view to show a structure of an MPEG packet generated from adigital broadcasting transmitter according to the present invention,

FIG. 5 is a view to show a data format output from a trellis encoderaccording to the present invention,

FIG. 6 is a view to show a digital broadcasting transmitter according tothe present invention,

FIG. 7 is a view to show a structure of a convolutional encoderaccording to the present invention, and

FIG. 8 is a view to show a structure of a digital broadcasting receiveraccording to the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 6 is a block diagram to show a digital broadcasting transmitter ofa dual stream EVBS system according to the present invention.

The digital broadcasting transmitter includes an RS encoder (301) and afirst packet formatter (303) for preprocessing robust data to improve areception performance of the robust data, a second packet formatter(305) for processing normal data, and a TS stream generator (307) forcombining the robust data output from the first packet formatter (303)and the normal data output from the second packet formatter (305) tooutput an MPEG packet.

In addition, the digital broadcasting transmitter includes a randomizer(310) for randomizing the MPEG packet generated from the TS streamgenerator (307), a convolutional encoder (330) for encoding the robuststream part, an interleaver (340), an RS encoder (320) for encoding therobust stream output from the interleaver (340) and the normal streamtogether, a convolutional interleaver (350), and a trellis encoder(360).

In the digital broadcasting transmitter according to the presentinvention, the data output from the RS encoder (320) are input lo thetrellis encoder (360) without alteration. Therefore, if theconvolutional encoder (330) is employed ahead of the RS encoder (320),information exchange can be performed with the trellis encoder (360)using the data output from the RS encoder (320). That is, thetransmitter can exchange information with the trellis encoder (360)using the convolutional-encoded robust stream so that a receptionperformance in a poor channel environment can be enhanced.

FIG. 4 shows a structure of an MPEG packet generated by the TS streamgenerator (307). The TS stream generator (307) restructures a new MPEGpacket having both the input normal stream and robust stream. The robuststream is fixed in a particular location and transmitted, and an AFheader can freely adjust the amount of the robust stream.

FIG. 5 shows a format of the data output from the trellis encoder (360).If the robust stream is transmitted using the particular location of anMPEG packet the robust stream passes through the convolutional encoder(330) and the interleaver (340), and successively gathered in the formatof FIG. 5. Accordingly, maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) decodingwhich operates by a frame unit can be simply performed for data of thisformat so that reception performance of a robust stream improves.

FIG. 7 shows a structure of a convolutional encoder according to thepresent invention. The structure of the convolutional encoder (330) canbe implemented in various forms. Puncturing as shown in FIG. 7 can beused according to usage. Input of the systematic recursive convolutionalis input as ‘d1’, which is input of an encoder differential encoder ofthe trellis encoder (360) and parity is input as in ‘d0’. At this time,the parity can be output as it is or be punctured to include 1 or 0. Thespot where ‘1’ is inserted becomes 4VSB with ‘−3, −1, 5, 7’ mappingvalue because ‘d0’ becomes Z1, and the spot where ‘0’ is insertedbecomes 4VSB with ‘−7, −5, 1, 3’ mapping value. That is, output valuebecomes 8VSB or 4VSB alternately by puncturing and coding gain by thetrellis encoder (360) is enhanced.

FIG. 8 shows a structure of a digital broadcasting receiver according tothe present invention. The receiver includes a demodulator (410) fordemodulating a signal received through a channel, an equalizer (420) forcompensating distortion by channel multipath, a Viterbi decoder (430)for correcting errors and performing decoding in symbol data, adeinterleaver (440) for rearranging the dispersed data of the decodeddata, an RS decoder (450) for error-correcting the deinterleaved data,and a derandomizer (660) for derandomizing the error-corrected data.Normal data of the received signal are processed through the abovestructure.

Meanwhile, the receiver further includes a robust location generator(470) for detecting the location of robust data from the data streamdemodulated through the demodulator (410), and a turbo decoder (480) fordecoding the robust data using the detected location of the robust data.

The turbo decoder (480) includes two decoders of a trellis decoder (notshown) and a convolutional decoder (not shown), and enhances receptionperformance by exchanging decoding reliability information with eachother. The output of the convolutional decoder are the same as the inputof the RS encoder in the receiver.

Moreover, the turbo decoder (480) includes a deinterleaver (not shown)and an interleaver (not shown) therebetween to connect the trellisdecoder and the convolutional decoder respectively. The interleaver (notshown) has a form that the interleaver (340) and the convolutionalinterleaver (350) of the transmitter are combined, performs interleavingof the two interleaver (340, 350), and becomes a path to deliverdecoding reliability information from the trellis decoder to theconvolutional decoder. Additionally, the deinterleaver (not shown)performs deinterleaving to reverse operation of the interleaver andbecomes a path to deliver decoding reliability information from theconvolutional decoder to the trellis decoder.

Subsequently, the output of the convolutional decoder of the turbodecoder (480) restructures the robust stream and is input to the robustdata processor (500) for performing RS decoding.

According to the present invention, to improve reception performance ofthe VSB method of a U.S-oriented terrestrial waves DTV system, normaldata and robust data are combined to become an MPEG-2 packet, a receiverdetects the location of the robust data in the packet, and the robustdata are decoded by information exchange between a trellis decoder andconvolution decoder, so that reception performance of the robust datacan be improved in a poor multipath channel environment.

Furthermore, the digital broadcasting transmission/reception methodaccording to the present invention is compatible with the existingreceiver that the ATSC suggested and is capable of improving thereception performance of the ATSC VSB method of a U.S-orientedterrestrial waves digital broadcasting system.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A digital broadcasting receiver comprising:a decoder for decoding additional data comprised in a transport stream(TS) comprising normal data and the additional data; and an additionaldata processor for performing Reed-Solomon (RS) decoding on the decodedadditional data, wherein the decoder includes a trellis decoder fortrellis decoding the additional data, a deinterleaver for deinterleavingthe additional data, a convolutional decoder for convolutional decodingthe deinterleaved additional data without convolutional decoding thenormal data, and an interleaver, wherein the additional data isRS-encoded and trellis encoded after being convolutional-encoded andinterleaved in a digital broadcasting transmitter, wherein theadditional data processor performs the RS decoding on the additionaldata that is trellis decoded, deinterleaved, convolutional decoded, andinterleaved at the decoder, and wherein the trellis decoder and theconvolutional decoder exchange decoding reliability information witheach other.
 2. The digital broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 1,wherein the TS is generated by a transmitter inserting the additionaldata into an adaptation field of a normal data.
 3. The digitalbroadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 2, wherein the TS comprises aheader, an adaptation field header, an additional data area and a normaldata area.
 4. The digital broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 1,wherein the additional data is repeated each predetermined number ofsegments.
 5. The digital broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 1,wherein the TS has been processed such that the TS has been RS encodedafter the additional data among the normal data and the additional datais convolutional-encoded and interleaved.
 6. The digital broadcastingreceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the TS comprises the additionaldata and a normal data, and the additional data processor performs theRS decoding on the decoded additional data without performing the RSdecoding on the normal data.
 7. A digital broadcasting reception methodcomprising: decoding additional data comprised in a transport stream(TS) comprising normal data and the additional data; and performingReed-Solomon (RS) decoding on the decoded additional data, wherein thedecoding includes trellis decoding by a trellis decoder the additionaldata, deinterleaving the trellis decoded additional data, convolutionaldecoding by a convolutional decoder the deinterleaved additional datawithout convolutional decoding the normal data, and interleaving,wherein the additional data is RS-encoded and trellis encoded afterbeing convolutional-encoded and interleaved in a digital broadcastingtransmitter, wherein the RS decoding is performed on the additional datathat is trellis decoded, deinterleaved, convolutional decoded, andinterleaved at the decoding, and wherein the trellis decoder and theconvolutional decoder exchange decoding reliability information witheach other.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the TS isgenerated by a transmitter inserting the additional data into anadaptation field of a normal data.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 8,wherein the TS comprises a header, an adaptation field header, anadditional data area and a normal data area.
 10. The method as claimedin claim 7, wherein the additional data is repeated each predeterminednumber of segments.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the TS has beenprocessed such that the TS has been RS encoded after the additional dataamong the normal data and the additional data is convolutional-encodedand interleaved.